Sunday, May 12, 2013

Let's face it! I would drink Rosé all year long if I could. Why? Because it's a wonderful and delicious way to drink red varietals cold. I am all about the pink. And when I have some, I am in heaven... Rosé can be made of any red varietal grape and I hope to explore the whole gamut of possibilities during peak Rosé season this Summer!

Unfortunately, here in the midwest, Rosé is not the easiest to find, so I've had to rely on the help of friends, local and afar, to keep me in the loop on the latest finds. Today, I'm going to give you three great reasons why you should be drinking Rosé and how to get your hands on them!

Let's start with my obvious choice, my favorite so far this year, 2012 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé by Cornerstone Cellars in Yountville (Napa Valley), California. As you have probably read from previous posts, I am enamored with Cornerstone Cellars. Their wines are top notch, their winemaker Jeff Keene is awesome and he makes this amazing Rosé that is redolent of strawberries and watermelon. Like a fun Jolly Rancher candy with more zip! The moment I took a sip, I wanted to swim in it! Made of 100% Syrah from Napa Valley vineyards and aged in French Oak. Terrific! I'm moving to Napa next month. I am stocking up! $16 on special from cornerstonecellars.com or visit the tasting room!!

Value is rare in Napa Valley so when I find it, I am beyond excited. Take this next wine for instance. Who's been to downtown Napa? There are so many cute tasting rooms and I found one that brings amazing value for your hard-earned dollar, TasteAt Oxbow. This place, located near the Oxbow Public Market, is a must-stop. After stopping there myself in February, I discovered a plethora of wonderful wines with a much higher perceived value. And I love, love, love the fact that they make a gorgeous Rosé out of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Just look at that color, dark and mysterious! The 2012 Waterstone Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon. Strawberries, dark cherries and floral notes round out this great Summer sipper. $18 at the tasting room. Please visit! You'll be happy you did!

I was actually able to find this next Rosé here at home, much to my surprise. I am assuming the Wagner Family of Caymus and Belle Glos fame distributes these wines a little more than some of the smaller production wineries but nonetheless I was thrilled! This one is the 2012Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc from Sonoma Coast. 100% Pinot Noir, partially barrel fermented and delicious! Cranberry, cinnamon and citrus notes. Vibrant, fruity and refreshing! Do not miss this one,. $17 and available at your local wine store or online at shop.wagnerfamilyofwine.com.

Well, there you have it! I am looking forward to test-driving many more Rosé wines once I reach my final destination in wine country this Summer! Stay tuned for more cool finds!!

Thank you to Cornerstone Cellars, Taste At Oxbow and WaterstoneWines, and the WagnerFamily for making such terrific Rosé! I look forward to tasting many more!

"You Saw It Here First!" This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk". Cellarmistress is an Italian-born, American-bred wine writer/wine educator with a great passion for wine and everything it encompasses!

Who Is Cellarmistress?

I'm an Italian-born, American-bred walking encyclopedia of wine. Wine is my passion. People who know me find me interesting, funny, and knowledgable. A wine country enthusiast, I moved my life from Iowa to California and am enjoying educating the public about wine at one of the most historical wineries in Napa Valley! I'm here to keep it fun and help you enjoy wine as much as I do! I recently obtained my CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) certification from the Society of Wine Educators and am diligently working towards my CWE (Certified Wine Educator) certification in the Fall of 2014.
DISCLAIMER: All opinions expressed on this site are my own and in no way are influenced by anyone or anything else.
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